PEX materials

I own a VERY old house and have been poking and picking at it for 38 years. One doesn't actually own a house like this.

It owns you.

I've been getting information about using PEX for our potable water supply and I believe this will be my material of choice from here on out. The actual process and methods are what I'm investigating right now and would appreciate input from those who KNOW.

There's a brand of fittings that are sold under the trade name SHARKBITE. I'm very interested in getting some comments about it.

The integrity of sharkbite seals is a rubber O-ring.
Faucets, shower valves, and most other valves periodically need servicing when the rubber washers wear or decay.
I've used sharkbite on hydronic systems where they're exposed and easy to service.
Personal preference, I wouldn't use them on higher pressure potable water, especially in concealed locations.

If you are going to plumb an entire house, buy a brand of PEX and their fittings, the crimp style has the cheapest tools.

Buy or rent the tools and do the job right.

Wirsbo expansion PEX is rumored to be the best, who knows yet. The expansion tools are very expensive and work on less brands than the crimp style.

This site has a lot of info on the compatibility of PEX, fittings and tools, http://www.pexinfo.com/ . As a DIYer I would stick with one brand of pipe fittings and tools.

The sharkbites and compression and other snap lock type fittings are for quick repairs or joining different types of pipe, not for plumbing an entire house.

Zurn has a good how to on their website, but their fittings are having issues in some water conditions, but the how to is good.

At this point I would use a home run manifold system and try to keep access to all the fittings, the pipe is good the problems come from the fittings. Keep room in the pipe for expansion and contraction, lots of room, do not strap it straight and tight or you will have trouble.

I consider Sharkbites to be God's gift to plumbers! They are approved for copper, PEX, & CPVC in concealed locations and underground. I however use them only when stopping water flow is a problem. I would not consider them for a whole house repipe due to their cost. They have saved my butt more than once.

I would strongly recommend picking a PEX ststem for your whole house repipe and go with it all the way including connections. I consider Wirsbro to have the best system but compatibility with other systems is a problem. If I was a new construction plumber I would without any doubt in my mind use Wirsbro. However in the repair plumbing business you have to be ready to work with whatever PEX system you are presented with. So I carry the Watts Waterpex on my truck which will work with all the systems. With the cinch clamp system the same tool is used for all sizes so it works for me in keeping the pile of tools and parts under control in the limited space of my truck.

How do the cinch clamps work for you, I have the cinch tool, but I always use the copper crimps. It is nice only needing one tool. I have both ways, just wondered how the cinch clamps work, bought the tool, never used it. Do they cut off OK with the tool if you need to make changes?

I am going to check into the wirsbo tools, they have dropped some in price. I think for service work it is getting to where you have to have it all, it sucks, wish they had all gotten together before they started.

I am going to check into the wirsbo tools, they have dropped some in price. I think for service work it is getting to where you have to have it all, it sucks, wish they had all gotten together before they started.

I like the cinch clamps! I actually don't even have the tool. I have an ancient pair if electricians pliers I found on a job site that had sat up in a suspended ceiling for about 20 years. I use them and they snip right off.

Ya know, there are times when we get all worked up over codes dictating little details regarding MFG & fitting types.
a dangerous example is CSST, Wardflex vs Tracpipe...each are very similar, but they require different numbers of corrugates inside the compression fitting.
I'd seen a whole house incorrectly fitted because the guy confused one name for another.
Only one fitting leaked on the test, if it hadn't...God only knows what woulda happened down the road.
The powers that be really need to force MFG's to get on the same page..IMO.